A major crisis appears to have rocked
the Pan-Niger Delta Forum as a crack team of policemen on Thursday
blocked two main entrances to the group’s Presidential Hotel conference
venue in Port Harcourt.....
The heavy presence of security
operatives on the road leading to the venue prevented some PANDEF
members and other stakeholders from joining the meeting.
It was gathered that a counter group,
which was said to have broken away from the forum, was behind the police
presence at the hotel.
Though no reason was given for the
development, a security source said the police presence outside the
venue of the meeting was to ensure that there was no breakdown of law
and order within the place due to a perceived disagreement among
members.
Many who attempted to get to the venue
of the meeting through GRA in Port Harcourt were turned back by
fierce-looking policemen, who blocked the two entries to the road
leading to the conference venue.
It was learnt that the security
operatives were at both ends of the road as early as 6.30am to stop any
vehicular movement on the road.
When our correspondent approached one of
the policemen to inquire why they were blocking the road, one of them
said, “We are acting on orders. If you want to enter the Presidential
Hotel, you can take the other way. There is an opening at the back of
the hotel.”
It was, however, gathered that some
members of PANDEF had met with the leader of the forum, Chief Edwin
Clark, even as a member of the group, who did not want his name
mentioned, cautioned that no resolution taken in a hotel room would be
binding.
Speaking, the President of the youth
wing of PANDEF, Mr. Famous Daunemigha, said, “We just ended the meeting.
They tried to frustrate us, but we later went in and had a meeting. We
don’t know who wants to frustrate us; it is just that the security
apparatus said some militants were threatening.
“I have told the military personnel that
as far as I am concerned, those who made the statement threatening
PANDEF are laptop militants. The RNDA is a laptop group and we don’t
know them; we don’t recognise any of its members.
“We had our meeting; we had our
resolution. We are a strong platform and if some people are trying to
misbehave, we will not join issues with them. As I am speaking with you
now, we are having our lunch after the meeting. Journalists were not
there (at the meeting) because they (security operatives) stopped you
people from entering.”
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